• Helping Jim O’Connor gain respect with the new faculty
    • Redefine vision, collaborative leadership strategies, Kagan exercises
  • Developing collegiality, honest and open communication, and support among all the faculty.
    • Kagan, team leadership roles, empowering teachers
  • Creating a structure and a sense of direction for the development of school improvement and reform
    • Redefine vision and create a framework for success
  • Encouraging more design and greater experimentation and risk taking
    • School improvement strategies, TQM, whole school initiatives
  • Providing tangible support and empowerment for all members of the staff.
    • Principal O’Connor needs to exhibit effective leadership skills, collaborative leadership strategies,
  • Encouraging them to reach out to the extensive research and knowledge pertinent to the desired reforms and to look into promising innovative programs
    • Professional Development teams and structures and innovations
  • Protecting what is important and good about Hickory High while reforming it to better meet the needs of twenty-first century schools.
    • Pulling everyone together to unify a vision and redefine what is important. This will serve as the foundation for growth and development for the school.

In order to help Principal O’Connor gain the respect of the faculty he must find ways of developing open and honest communication by embracing their needs and providing exemplary professional development opportunities and a supportive culture. Hickory Ridge High School must redefine their vision by unifying the differences between the new recruits and the old regime. Some of the ways in which Principal O'Connor can regain the respect of the staff and create a more positive climate would be as follows: Kagan method professional development, creating a mentor program, collaborative leadership and team decision making strategies, creating a framework for school improvement which is supportive rather than punitive and allowing for meaningful communication between the school, community, parents, teachers and students.